Yemen

Page 1: Overview and Partnership with INSAN

Introduction

Educast, has been actively involved in transforming healthcare access in conflict-affected and fragile states through telemedicine and virtual capacity building. In Yemen, one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, Educast initiated a partnership with INSAN (www.insan-yemen.org) – Initiative for Social Development to support the war-torn population with healthcare education, telemedicine, and digital diagnostics.

Context

Yemen suffers from a collapsed healthcare infrastructure, limited access to maternal and child health services, and a severe shortage of medical professionals. Recognizing these challenges, Educast leveraged its proven telehealth model from Afghanistan and Pakistan to provide scalable, remote-first health interventions.

Partnership Goals with INSAN:

Establish remote training for frontline healthcare workers
Enable digital consultations and referrals in underserved areas
Provide psychosocial counseling support to displaced women and children
Facilitate maternal and child health training for midwives and nurses

Key Achievements (Phase I)

Deployed Virtual Telemedicine Centers in Maarib, Shigra and Zinjibar, Haraul Mout with support from INSAN’s local volunteer networks
Trained 200+ community health workers and midwives using Arabic-translated content modules, and support from Pakistani eDoctors
Conducted 1,500+ tele-consultations, including MNCH (maternal, newborn, and child health), dermatology, and infectious diseases
Piloted a mobile mental health support initiative for displaced women in IDP camps
Delivered emergency medical e-learning on COVID-19, cholera, and trauma response

Page 2: Impact and Future Expansion Plans

Testimonies and Local Impact

“The ability to connect with doctors remotely saved my daughter during childbirth complications. Without Educast’s team and training, I would have lost her.”

— Fatima Al-Hamidi, Midwife, Ibb Province

“INSAN and Educast brought us education when clinics had shut down. I feel like I’m part of the world again.”

— Salem, 26, Medical Assistant, Taiz

Integration with Local Systems

Worked with Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP) to align eHealth content with local standards
Distributed Cholera Kits
Partnered with local universities to enroll students in Educast’s certification tracks in maternal care

Technical Support Provided

eDoctor Platform deployment with real-time chat and video consultation integration
Content co-developed in partnership with Dow University of Health Sciences
Mental health screening tools adapted in Arabic for low-literacy users

Yemen Telemedicine Platform (2023 – Ongoing)

In 2023, Educast expanded its cross-border telehealth model to Yemen, a country with a collapsed health infrastructure due to protracted conflict. An agreement was signed to establish Yemen’s first telemedicine and capacity-building platform for doctors. Key elements of this project are

Scope: The project connects 25 remote health centers in five Yemeni provinces (Abyan, Hadramaut, Shabwah, Al Mahrah, Lahij) to a central tertiary hospital in Aden via satellite links. These telecenters are equipped with portable telemedicine kits for real-time transmission of patient data to specialists. Each site also has virtual training facilities so local Yemeni doctors can join interactive sessions with senior doctors in Pakistan.
Partners/Funding: Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and the Social Fund for Development (SFD) are executing partners on the ground. The initiative is funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) (Jeddah) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) – reflecting international support. Pakistani and Yemeni technical teams work jointly, with Educast as the lead technical partner providing the telehealth platform.
Impact & Innovation: During a pilot phase in 2023, Educast’s platform already delivered thousands of medical consultations to Yemeni patients in remote areas. The network leverages Pakistan’s female eDoctors – previously inactive doctors now deployed remotely – to serve underserved communities in Yemen. This not only addresses Yemeni doctor shortages but also empowers Pakistani women doctors to practice internationally. The platform enables real-time specialist input for Yemeni doctors, improving care for maternal and child health and emergency cases.
Strategic Significance: Educast’s CEO noted this “demonstrates how telemedicine bridges access gaps in fragile states and conflict zones”. Beyond humanitarian impact, it positions Pakistan as an emerging regional hub for telehealth and even medical tourism, by creating pathways for Yemeni patients to eventually access advanced care in Pakistan. The Yemen project builds on Educast’s Afghanistan success and further scales the eDoctor model regionally.

Future Plans (Phase II & III)- With Islamic Development Bank, Social Fund for Development – SFD-Yemen, Ministry of Health - Yemen

Scale to Five governorates, prioritizing IDP-heavy regions
Introduce tele-radiology and portable diagnostics kits in mobile clinics
Train an additional 1,000 community healthcare workers and 150 female doctors
Integrate with international humanitarian corridors and Gulf-based diaspora support networks for medical sponsorships
Launch a Yemen Digital Medical Academy

Conclusion Educast’s mission in Yemen, driven by a grassroots partnership with INSAN NGO, exemplifies digital innovation for health equity. With continued donor and partner support, the initiative is poised to become the largest digital-first healthcare education and service network in Yemen.
For more information:
www.educast.co.uk
www.insan-yemen.org